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This was a lovely reflection and very realistic. Using the Digital learning framework your natural integration of digital technology in STEM lessons keeps learning engaging and authentic. Expanding computational thinking across Maths, Gaeilge, English, and SESE will help students apply it as a core way of thinking, and your plan for fortnightly cross-curricular lessons paired with monthly reflections is both realistic and sustainable.
To sharpen your reflections and gather clear evidence for SSE, I might consider tracking one specific computational thinking process—such as pattern recognition or decomposition—each month to monitor its development over the term and then make a plan from this data.
My students act as active agents in their learning when I provide opportunities for them to engage purposefully, respond in varied ways, and participate in meaningful discussions that inform my teaching. This directly aligns with the Looking at Our School LAOS 2022 standards for Learner Experiences, specifically the criterion where pupils are actively involved in the learning process rather than being passive recipients of information.
A key strength in my practice is meeting diverse pupil needs through targeted differentiation and adaptive teaching. Moving forward, my primary goal is balancing play with productivity to embed the revised curriculum effectively. To support this, I will explicitly integrate computational thinking language into our existing unplugged activities, backed by a dedicated STEAM display and word wall to reinforce visual learning.
By reframing my thinking and the language I use pupils are exposed to the computational thinking language through many unplugged activities that we already currently do.
I will execute two targeted actions over the coming term: (1) Deliver one weekly unplugged activity that explicitly incorporates core computational thinking vocabulary measuring progress through pre- and post-lesson pupil vocabulary checks; and (2) Design and install a dedicated interactive STEAM word wall by evaluating its efficacy by tracking pupil self-referencing of terms during independent and group tasks.As a school we chose well-being for our primary focus in our SSE. Ideally we target emotional self-regulation in upper primary classes. Our school is part of the Active Schools initiative and we participate in the Amber Flag initiative which celebrates communities that create healthy, supportive, and inclusive environments by promoting mental well-being. We have previously conducted surveys on google forms to assess how children feel at school with parents and children as part of our school development and antibullying policy. This can act our pupil baseline in the survey to begin.
We can integrate Google Classroom into our daily morning routines such as using Google Forms where teachers use a quick, non-intrusive Morning Check-In Form based on the Zones of Regulation or emotional scale meters. Pupils privately log how they are feeling, rate their energy levels, and flag if they need a brief 1-on-1 check-in or a sensory movement break. This is inclusive for all levels and as it will be on forms it will be confidential. Using Google Sheets can provide teachers with a confidential, real-time dashboard. This allows staff to immediately spot emerging emotional trends, identify dysregulated pupils early in the day, and adjust lesson pacing accordingly.
To measure progress across our 6-step SSE process, we can gather different types of digital evidence from google slides and google forms and have reflections where pupils track their chosen coping strategies (e.g., breathwork, quiet spaces, heavy work) and evaluate which tools helped them move back to a regulated state.
By using this digital evidence thoughtfully, we can still keep teacher judgement centrally and plan accordingly.I completely agree with you and the points Sarah has made. Using Google Sheets to track spelling data over a set period is a great way to monitor pupil progress. I like the suggestion of sharing the template with other staff, as it would provide a consistent approach across the school and support whole-school improvement and involves colaboration rather than re-inventing the wheel so to speak!
Hi Sinead, I like this magentism lesson. The five question formative assessment quiz to check students’ understanding of magnetic attraction, repulsion, and non-magnetic materials midway through the topic is very inclusive but yet informs the teacher of their learning. The quiz became more relevant when it connected to the classroom and the materials pupils handled. The strict data privacy by not including any student names, assessment results, or identifying specific school information shows excellent safeguarding and professional boundaries.
I used the Brainstorm idea to generate ideas for lesson starters to introduce the topic of respiration for a fifth Class Science lesson. I selected the Pulse Check which involved the students sit perfectly still for 30 seconds and count their breaths. However, I rejected the Mirror Fog Experiment involving handing out small handheld mirrors or let students breathe closely onto a classroom window activity as I felt it was an irrelevant Hook. I also felt this was a fun activity but it had no actual link to the learning objective. I checked the information provided by the Gem against educational sources and ensured the language and activities were suitable for 5th Class pupils. AI tools serve as valuable planning tool but they still rely entirely on teacher judgment to refine lessons and elevate pupil learning experiences. I then evaluated children’s responses as they recorded their breath rates . I didn’t mention children’s identity, race or medical history but kept it to Irish 5th class pupils.
Brainstorming Gem added value to learning by acting as a custom AI teaching partner that speeds up lesson design, sparks student creativity and diversifies assessment tasks. It saves teacher preparation time and targets individual needs without doing the critical thinking for the student. Text books could accompany some lessons if requested but it is not necessary for the lesson.I too find that the voice-to-text feature works well with children who struggle with literacy. However it does need practice to fine tune it. I agree that it would be very beneficial for Slides to feature this option directly rather than copying and pasting. As you state these tools are great to help create a more inclusive classroom .
We currently use Google Forms to gather information as part of our School Self-Evaluation process. I agree that once the questions posed are explicit and clear it gives teachers meaningful feedback based to work from.
For 5th class I would use Google Classroom to organise students ideas and prior knowledge and to show key moments during the famine for their presentations on google slides. Before beginning the activity, I would show the children the template and revise the tools available in Google docs such as spell checker and voice to text. This tool would be more inclusive for those who may struggle with spelling, reading and writing and therefore help make learning more inclusive by supporting pupils with different learning needs. A pre-formatted text boxes to guide lower-attaining pupils would be available in Google Classroom with boxes to identify and explain their events during the famine. The more able students can progress independently and display their knowledge and previous learning. I can monitor the children’s progress in real time, providing structured feedback both orally and through the live editing features in Google Classroom.
Following this activity, for my formative Assessment to monitor progress in real time via Google Classroom, offering immediate oral feedback and direct digital edits/comments to guide pupils. I could share a Google Form that asks the children to assess their understanding of the topic and the accessibility of the task. Using google Form Exit Ticket a short Google Form featuring a confidence checklist on historical understanding would be used this form alongside the presentation that the children produced to see what aspects of this topic may need revision to challenge misconceptions, which aspects they enjoyed and were the most popular choices when it came to choosing their key events, and consider their suggestions for support in future SESE modules and to investigate the children’s confidence in different areas. This data will be useful to have to see any changes over the year.I like the read aloud enabled by Mote adjustment suggestion. It is a lovely inclusive option to read the questions in the quiz which may be difficult for some students.
5th Class
Topic: Famine in Ireland
This is a topic that the children find fascinating and become engrossed in learning more about the topics from famine ships to the workhouses. It can be integrated cross-curricular in all subjects. I used Google Slides to present information to the class in addition to music, art and videos. We used their novel “Under the Hawthorn Tree” to allow them to read about the lives of people during this time and visit the famine museum.
Google classroom supports clarity; by teachers type clear directions and attach specific files, rubrics, or media links directly to every task, sequence; teachers can schedule posts in advance to release work at the exact time a new step begins and consistency; by using the reuse Post option to keep the same format for weekly tasks or routine quizzes.
In Google Classroom, I would created Quiz Assignment in the format of a Google Form for the children. This helps show assessment of learning. I would pick various questions and differentiate them for all abilities to show their understanding and progression.
I think that Google workspace would be beneficial for our School Self-Evaluation. As one of the six steps we could record the opinions of the children and then incorporate this into plans going forward.I really like the Concept of Students interviewing an older member of the community to capture how daily life in the locality has changed. Again the output of a recorded output makes it inclusive for all levels and abilities. The boundary of not including names or notable features in the locality shows responsible AI use protecting peoples anonymity.
I entered the following prompt into my Gemini search.
As a fifth class teacher based in Ireland. You want to children to explore the science and the environment in their locality. Suggest three project options for this.
I asked for this how each of the three project options aligns directly with the Primary Science Curriculum strands and specific learning outcomes for Fifth class.Project 1: The Micro-Habitat & Biodiversity Audit
1. Living Things
• Plant and Animal Life:
o Identify and classify local plants and animals using simple keys and identification charts.
o Construct and interpret simple food chains and food webs found within the local micro-habitat.
o Explore how local animals and plants are adapted to their specific micro-habitats (e.g., damp soil vs. dry brickwork).Adaptions: As our school is in a dense urban environment with limited green space, concrete yards, or no immediate access to a park, the project was adapted into a “Micro-Oasis & Concrete Jungle” Audit. In urban environments, life works extra hard to find small niches. Adapting the project teaches students how biodiversity adapts to man-made environments and how humans can intentionally introduce micro-habitats on hard surfaces.
Instead of grass vs. woodland, students compare subtle micro-environments across tarmac and masonry surfaces. The children would sample racks in paving or tarmac where weeds/moss grow, Damp corners under outdoor stairwells or drainpipes, Wall surfaces (ivy/moss patches vs. bare brick) and Window boxes, raised planters, or potted plants in the school yard.
The Audit Focus would Measure how moss, lichen, small weeds, woodlice, ants, spiders, and pigeons/sparrows utilize these man-made spaces.
My boundaries for responsible AI were that: I did not include where our locality is, any information on the children in my class or specific information that would identify our school or people or our locality.This is a very detailed lesson plan David with differentiation for all abilities. I can see you used specific prompts for the character analysis. I agree that Magic School AI has a huge range of US curriculum options rather than Irish but nonetheless it is a fantastic support for the classroom.
Hi Margaret, this is such a great lesson plan for junior infants. I love how diverse (behavioural expectations/ general knowledge/literacy/language development) but yet simplistic the instructions are to get all children involved in nature and literacy. Using this platform would have been fantastic when I was doing my dip and something that would benefit all teachers in the future allowing them to spend more time teaching instead of devising lesson plans.
This module has emphasised how AI can complement the work of teachers while reducing the time spent devising lesson plans and research and written materials for the students. Platforms such as Magic School AI and Diffit will make differentiation easier for all ages and abilities in one class for one session. I like the idea of OSMO for the practical nature and feedback it gives means the students. I am also looking forward to Microsoft Reading Coach to build reading fluency and further exploring Ari AI in Twinkl when they implement the Irish curriculum to the platform. Data protection is essential while ensuring the children are aware of how articles on the web must not be treated as gospel and may present with bias.
I used co-pilot to devise A complete 5th class lesson plan on the human respiration system, structured, practical, and ready to teach — with visuals and Guided Links embedded naturally.
Human Respiration System — 5th Class Lesson Plan
Duration: 60 minutes Class Level: 5th Class Subject: Science – Human Body
🎯 Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to:
• Identify the main organs of the respiratory system
• Describe how breathing works (inhalation & exhalation)
• Explain the role of oxygen exchange in the lungs
• Understand how respiration supports other body systems
🧠 Curriculum Links (SESE Science – Human Body)
• Awareness of body systems
• Understanding how organs work together
• Developing scientific vocabulary
🫁 Introduction (10 minutes)
• Begin with a simple question: “What happens when we breathe?”
• Show pupils a diagram of the respiratory system.
• Highlight the nose, trachea, lungs, bronchi, alveoli, and diaphragm.
• Ask pupils to take a deep breath and notice their chest movement.
• Explain that breathing is automatic because our body needs oxygen.
🏗️ Key Vocabulary
• Respiration — process of taking in oxygen and removing carbon dioxide
• Diaphragm — muscle that helps us breathe
• Alveoli — tiny air sacs where gas exchange happens
• Trachea — windpipe
• Bronchi — tubes leading into each lung
🔍 Main Lesson Activities (35 minutes)
1. Guided Exploration (10 minutes)
Use a diagram or model to walk through the breathing pathway:
• Nose/Mouth → Trachea → Bronchi → Lungs → Alveoli
• Explain inhalation: diaphragm moves down, lungs expand.
• Explain exhalation: diaphragm moves up, lungs contract.
2. Hands-On Activity (10 minutes)
Balloon Lung Model
• Materials: balloon, plastic bottle, straw, tape.
• Pupils create a simple lung model to demonstrate inhalation/exhalation.
• Discuss how the balloon represents the lungs and the stretched balloon at the bottom represents the diaphragm.
3. Group Work (10 minutes)
Divide pupils into small groups. Each group creates a mini-poster showing:
• The organs of the respiratory system
• A short explanation of how breathing works
• One fun fact (e.g., “You breathe about 20,000 times a day!”)
4. Quick Quiz (5 minutes)
Use short questions to check understanding:
• What organ helps pull air into the lungs?
• Where does oxygen enter the blood?
• What gas do we breathe out?
📝 Assessment
• Observation during activities
• Accuracy of group posters
• Responses during quiz
• Ability to use scientific vocabulary correctly
🏁 Conclusion (5 minutes)
• Recap the breathing process.
• Emphasize the importance of oxygen for energy.
• Connect respiration to other systems (e.g., circulatory system delivering oxygen).
📚 Optional Extensions
• Compare respiration in humans vs animals
• Explore effects of exercise on breathing
• Healthy lungs habits
To differentiate additional worksheets, flashcards, or a PowerPoint-style lesson can be utilised.